SEVEN DEADLY THINGS (Henry & Sparrow Book 3), A FOX [good books to read for adults .TXT] 📗

‘I don’t know… but… maybe,’ she said.

‘How did your other friend die?’

‘I can’t tell you that,’ she said. ‘At least… not now. Not on the phone. I think… I think we should meet. Can you come over around lunchtime?’

He paused. ‘You’re sure you want that?’

She sighed. ‘I know it always ends badly,’ she said. ‘But, yes. If you can. I will understand if you don’t want to, though.’

‘What’s the Taser risk, would you say?’

She gave a dry laugh. ‘Not too high. The Suffolk constabulary is all over this — I’m just on the sidelines, off-duty. The DS in charge is a cold fish and she does not want me on her turf, so I have to respect that. I’m just a witness. And nobody here knows who you are. We can do some snooping without worrying about whether I’m going to get suspended.’

‘Or shot?’ he ventured. ‘Or drugged? Or smacked in the face with a spade..? Oh no — that was me.’

She laughed again and then snatched a breath, before saying in a low voice: “Lucas — we need to talk about things anyway.’

He took his own breath before replying, ‘Yeah. We do.’

‘So… one o’clock at the pavilion?’

‘No problem,’ he said. ‘I’ll see you there.’

‘Bring Sid,’ she said.

19

‘Say sorry.’

He was still drunk, scrabbling at his bedclothes, baffled and annoyed.

‘How the fuck did you get in here?’ he said. ‘And what the fuck is THAT?’

The bucket was heavy and surprisingly lively. Putting it down made it easier to lift the gun and watch his face as it scanned the contents, first baffled and disbelieving, and then — as he clocked the weapon — staggered and scared.

‘What? What do you want me to say sorry for? What did I do?’

‘Write it down.’

‘On that?’

‘Yes. On that.’

His hand shook as he did as he was told. ‘Look… is this about … I mean, I know I’m no angel when it comes to the girls… I… I’m a bit of a shit. I know. Even my mates say I’d shag anything with a pulse… Did I screw things up with you and some—?’

‘You don’t even remember me, do you?’

‘I’m sorry… I don’t. Just… tell me what I can do to make it better.’

‘Show me your feet.’

‘What?’

‘I want to check your toes.’

‘OK, but… why?’

‘To see how much they have in common with what’s in my bucket.’

It was always that moment when realisation dawned that really felt the best. That and the deep, satisfying silence that would soon follow. The sense of peace while the scene was set.

‘Oh,’ was the last thing he said.

20

‘Jesus Christ, you didn’t!’

Talia sat at the breakfast table, Craig on her left, and Nikki and Kate facing her. Her large brown eyes were like saucers as she shook her head at her old friend.

‘What?’ asked Kate, breaking her croissant. She was befuddled and tired. After speaking to Lucas, there had been another hour of angsting about what she’d just invited him into before she finally got to sleep. She reckoned she’d had three or four hours, tops. She was only here, attempting to eat breakfast in the massive Buntin’s restaurant amid the roar of a hundred families doing battle with fry-ups and Rice Krispies, because Talia had phoned her and insisted she get up and meet them all at nine. Francis had waved away the offer of joining them, remaining buried, snoring, in his duvet when she’d left the chalet. She hadn’t yet told him about inviting Lucas to Buntin’s that day.

‘You did, didn’t you? You bloody did!’ said Talia, rolling her eyes and licking the lid of her yoghurt pot.

Nikki raised her palms over her half-eaten croissant. ‘What are you talkin’ about?’

‘I can see it written all over your face,’ went on Talia. ‘You went back to Bill’s chalet last night and shagged him, didn’t you?’

‘Talia — children nearby,’ said Craig, primly. He looked pale and peaky, and Kate guessed she wasn’t the only one short on sleep.

Talia whispered, ‘Look into my eyes and deny it, Nicola Whitlock!’

Nikki did neither. ‘Fuck’s sake,’ she muttered. ‘Julie’s dead. I was freaked out. So was Bill. We needed a bit of… comfort.’

‘He cheated on you at least three times in one summer season,’ pointed out Talia. ‘He made you miserable and then tried to put it all on you when you complained. Don’t you remember?’

Nikki shrugged. ‘It was a long time ago — water under the bridge. He’s grown up a lot. He says he’s different now.’

‘So… him propositioning me at the bar, while you were in the ladies — that’s his new grown-up thing, is it?’

Nikki gaped and then buried her face in her hands with a sob. ‘Oh god. I’m such a loser.’

Kate put her arm around Nikki’s shaking shoulders and glared at Talia. ‘Nice one, Tally,’ she said. ‘Haven’t we got enough trauma going on?’

Talia sighed and looked guilty. ‘Sorry, Nikki… I should have warned you last night. I could see how it might go with you two. He’s like catnip to you, isn’t he?’

‘He’s a shit,’ sniffed Nikki. ‘And it wasn’t even that good. He was too drunk.’

‘Well, I guess he’ll be sleeping it off all morning, so at least you can stay away from him for a bit,’ said Talia. ‘Let’s all go down the beach again, yeah? Get some sea air. We might as well try to have a tiny bit of fun. Or is that wrong?’ She looked at Kate.

Kate shook her head. ‘No. You’re right. I’d like to get some fresh air, too.’

‘We need to stick together,’ said Craig, pouring cornflakes into his bowl from a mini cardboard box. ‘I mean… first Martin, then Julie… who’s next, eh?’

Everyone looked at Kate.

‘Should we be afraid?’ asked Talia. ‘I mean… I get that you can’t tell us what you saw, but… you can tell us this much. Is someone coming after all of us?’

Kate shook her head. ‘I don’t know,’ she said, although she’d be lying if she said that very thought hadn’t occurred to her